Magazine editor sacked over AI-generated Schumacher ‘interview’

Final week, the journal Die Aktuelle featured a narrative claiming to be Schumacher’s first interview since his 2013 snowboarding accident.

The journal’s entrance cowl featured an image of a smiling Schumacher promising a “first interview”. Inside it went on to current a narrative with mock quotes generated by AI know-how, with the tagline “it sounded deceptively actual”.

The jarring piece upset the Schumacher household, which threatened to take authorized motion towards Die Aktuelle, a weekly journal printed by the Funke media group.

The publishers have now responded by eradicating editor-in-chief Anne Hoffmann from her place and issuing an apology to the Schumacher household.

“This tasteless and deceptive article ought to by no means have appeared,” Funke managing director Bianca Pohlmann wrote in an announcement.

“It by no means meets the requirements of journalism that we and our readers count on from a writer like Funke.

“On account of the publication of this text, speedy personnel penalties shall be drawn. Die Aktuelle editor-in-chief Anne Hoffmann, who has held journalistic duty for the paper since 2009, shall be relieved of her duties as of right this moment.”

Michael Schumacher, Mercedes GP together with his spouse Corinna Schumacher

Photograph by: Mercedes AMG

The Schumacher household has maintained a strict privateness coverage since Schumacher’s 2013 accident whereas snowboarding within the French Alps, wherein he suffered a extreme mind damage.

The seven-time world champion, now 54, continues to get better from the accident at dwelling in Switzerland and hasn’t been seen in public since, with solely the household’s closest associates sustaining contact.

The one perception into the lifetime of the Schumachers got here within the family-curated Netflix documentary “Schumacher”, which was launched in 2021 and featured interviews together with his spouse Corinna and son Mick.

Within the documentary, Corinna stated: “We reside collectively at dwelling. We do remedy. We do all the pieces we will to make Michael higher and to ensure he is comfy, and to easily make him really feel our household, our bond.

“We’re making an attempt to hold on as a household, the way in which Michael favored it and nonetheless does. And we’re getting on with our lives.”